CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The U.S. Senate passed, by voice vote, a bill to rename the NASA facility in Fairmont after one of the agency’s most famous mathematicians.
If approved by the House of Representatives, the Independent Verification and Validation Facility would be renamed after West Virginia native Katherine Johnson, who worked on the orbital mission of John Glenn in 1962.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., introduced the resolution in August. Fellow West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin cosponsored the motion.
“I’m thrilled that the Senate recognized her incredible contributions — not only to West Virginia but also to the country and the science community — and passed this legislation with such overwhelming support,” Capito said in a press release.